FOR much of 1969, the threat of a major conflict hovered over the 4,500-mile frontier between the Soviet Union and China. In at least two all-out battles this year on the Ussuri and Amur rivers, which separate Siberia and Manchuria, the Soviets called in armor and heavy artillery to pound the Chinese. Tensions rose to the point where the Soviets hinted that they might even launch a preventive strike against China's nuclear installations unless Peking agreed to negotiations aimed at settling the conflict. The war of nerves was threatening to get out of hand. Last week, after months of trying to...
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